Jennifer Angele is now a resident of Canada. Sawyer, her young son, recently had a terrible tragedy: he was the only person in the entire class who was not invited to a classmate’s birthday celebration. We’ve all known what it’s like for a child to be an outcast among their peers.
Jennifer chose to fight for her kid. She published an open message to the birthday boy’s parents on her Facebook page. Do you believe Mom was excited? Maybe. Savier’s mother must constantly watch as people try to push her son to the periphery of life because he was born with Down syndrome, which makes the situation worse. «I fully understand that this is not a mistake but a deliberate decision on your part,» he said to Jennifer in his letter.
Parents invited the entire class (22 people) to the party. And only Savier was left without an invitation, as everyone quickly discovered. According to the mother, her son had no issues with his peers. He is a really kind young man who wants to make friends with everyone. As a result, Jennifer is certain that the kid was not invited to the party just because he is different from the rest.
The mother is well aware that many people are uneasy around her child and are confused about how to behave. «I know you would not make such a judgment if you knew a little bit more about persons with Down syndrome,» she wrote.
In her letter, the mother describes how she initially struggled because no one could explain how to raise her child. Everyone around her told her that the child would never be “normal,” and she was worried that he would never be able to speak with his classmates.
But when she witnessed how effortlessly Savier found a common language with his brother and sister, all her anxieties vanished. In her letter, she attempted to clarify that her kid is no different from other children, even if he does exhibit aberrant behavior at times.
«People with Down syndrome see things in the same way that we do. They desire to make new acquaintances and interact. They desire to be helpful and to do something in life. They desire to attend classmates’ birthday parties.»
Jennifer requested that the parents of a classmate speak with their son: «Any parent wants their child to be friends with classmates, not an outcast.» And in order to do so, we must provide a good example for our children, instilling in them the desire to make the right choice.» The mother believes that the boys will be able to build friendships if they get to know each other better.
In the past, Savier was rarely asked to birthday parties. And my mother began to suspect she was to blame. Because the child is in a regular class and does not require any special care, his mother has never requested that teachers or classmates’ parents treat her son differently. «I know that parents of children with Down syndrome regularly attend parent-teacher conferences before sending their children to school to discuss their child.»
I, on the other hand, did not. To me, my son Savier was always just a normal kid, and I felt that people already knew enough about Down syndrome that I didn’t need to lecture them. But I was wrong. Now I feel like I let my son down.» Jennifer regrets not speaking with her friends’ parents sooner.
Perhaps she wouldn’t have to defend her son in public after all. Naturally, she did not name anyone in her letter. However, acquaintances may be able to deduce who this communication was intended for. This letter was read and shared by hundreds of thousands of people. Jennifer went on to say that the parents of a classmate immediately replied to her request and spoke with their child.
As a result, Savier was given a unique invitation to a birthday celebration, making him the happiest youngster on the planet. «He can’t stop talking about it,» his mother wrote. Savier Angele is far from the only youngster who has demonstrated that children with Down syndrome may attend ordinary school without difficulty.
Jennifer Angela’s actions may appear to many as unsavory; the mother appeared to have broken an unspoken taboo by openly bringing up her son’s unjust treatment. She was not scared to break the stillness or to speak about something unpleasant, knowing full well that this silence, like an impenetrable wall, makes countless people around the world outsiders.